Airports Report Record Breaking Year For Passenger Traffic

A few weeks into the new year, a number of European airports are reporting record traffic levels for 2024.

They include London’s Heathrow Airport which handled an all-time high of 83.9 million, boosted by a record breaking December, during which it handled over seven million passengers,

The annual total was an impressive three million more than the previous 2019 record.

Heathrow’s CEO, Thomas Woldbye, said: “2024 was an exciting and a record-breaking year at Heathrow. I’m proud of all my colleagues and our partners who worked so hard to deliver great experiences for more passengers than ever before.

“In 2025, our journey towards better value for our customers will continue by investing in the kind of facilities our passengers and airlines are looking for.

“We aim to become more innovative to ensure that our airport delivers for the whole of the UK.

Elsewhere in the UK, London Stansted is celebrating a landmark year as it welcomed a record-breaking 29.76 million passengers in 2024.

The new annual high is a 5.8% increase on the previous record of 28.14 million passengers set in 2019.

The airport also rounded off the record year with its busiest ever December as strong demand from travellers choosing to fly from their local airport over the festive period.

The airport’s cargo operations experienced significant growth, reinforcing its role as a vital hub for regional businesses and global trade.

In 2024, Stansted handled 307,675 tonnes of cargo, up 15.6% on the previous 12-months. December alone saw 23,607 tonnes processed, maintaining levels from 2023.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s managing director, said: “It was a fantastic year for London Stansted in 2024, and I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. `

“Welcoming a record-breaking 29.76 million passengers is great testament to the dedication of our team and the continued trust of our passengers and partners in the airport.

“And as we move into 2025, we expect the year ahead to be another busy and exciting time at the airport.

“Our £1.1 billion transformation programme in now underway, with a number of new projects already progressing well, including the development of our own on-site solar farm, the introduction of barrierless access to the express set down area plus a new domestic baggage reclaim facility as we continue to enhance the passenger experience.”

In Greece, passenger numbers at Athens International Airport soared by 13% to a historic high

of 31.85 million in 2024.

Overall, international passengers rose by 15.7%, to 22.4 million, while domestic traffic grew by 7.3%, to 9.4 million, on an annual comparison basis.

In December, total traffic increased by 14.5% compared to the same month in 2023, to 2.2 million, of which 1.5 million were international passengers. This comes as AIA is launching its expansion works.

Photo courtesy of Roger Cremers.

Meanwhile in the Netherlands, the Royal Schiphol Group has announced that a total of

66.8 million passengers (+8%) passed through Amsterdam Schiphol in 2024.

The gateway also handled 1.49 million tonnes of cargo, 8% more than in 2023 (1.38 million tonnes).

There were 15,661 cargo-only flights, a decrease of almost 2% compared to 2023 (15,969). The amount of cargo handled in 2024 was 10% more than in 2019.